Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
A WOMAN'S WIT.
BY JAMES NJ. ADAMS.

"Indead, Miss Mclaughlin, it is no! only
possible, but easy of accomplishment.
u think not. The attempt would be
hazardous. No one should endanger his
iife in such way"
The afternoon sun shone warmly on
Brideewater Cliffs. The soft murmur Of
tie sea fell family on the ear. There was
peace i'll the air and upon the sea.
Mark Hiltons usual clear-hcaded iuag-
nent was somewhat disturbed this after
noon; for was not Kitty Mclaughlin with
him? 1t was not every day that he had her
ali to himself three miles from human
habitat on. However he might strive to
conceal it, his elation would show itself in
face and speech Nature was in apposi-
ton with his mood.
This was no ordinary pair. Mark Hilton
was "a, handsome-not pretty man. lie
was tall and straight, possessing face OF
peculiarly intellectual cast. His manner,
and at times his speech, exhibited the
slight awkwardness often seen in those who
are given to habits Of seclusion. He did
not much affect general society; he was q
man with an object in life, and that objcte
was not mere personal popularity. Mark
Hilton was, in the highest sense, q gentle
man.
Miss Kate Mclaughlin was 10 years of
age; tall and we'll formed. She had a
pleasant and intelligent face. People did
not consider her beautiful, Mark Hilton to
the contrary Notwithstanding. What most
distinguished her was her remarkable
gracefulness of speech and manner. She
was finely educated, and, like Hilton, pos
sessed of marked individuality. The
young men who sought her society were
well treated, but, with the exception of
Hilton, made small progress in their efforts
to acquire her confidence and to become
more intimate. There was line they could
not cross. They could neverse the reason
why. She did. She knew that even the
alchemy Of love could not unite gold and
lead without debasing the former. 1t must
be gold with gold to preserve the standard.
The subject which Mark Hilton and Kitty
Mclaughlin were discussing so earnestly
was the possibility of safely reaching a
certain tiny blue flower which grew far out
on the rugged face of the cliff. Kitty had
discovered it in its isolated position
"a few moments before, and, remarking that
it Wis unlike any they had seen that day,
w ndered what it could be. The distance
W: SO great she could not decide, although
a God botanist. Mark, with more en-
tl.,4iasm than judiciousncss, volunteered
80 fo,, lor nl.a 4
listen to.
~NoDsense!" returned Mark. "There is
no danger worth mentioning. Don't you
see there as q line of shelving rock jutting
out froin b4nind the cliff which leads
directly to it."
'But you might slip or become dizzy. 1t
must be a hundred feet to the bottom, {" she
said, with shudder.
"Slipping is impossible with these on, "
said Mark, calling attention to the rubber
soled lawn tennis shoes which he wore;
sand my head was always steady one"
"But you shall not imperil your life in
such a foolhardy attempt" said Kitty,
decidedly.
ooh, yes, will. You don't know what
determined fellow am when I get
started" answered Mark with laugh; and
in a second he was 81 veral feet out on the
face of the crag.
The shelving rock along which he un-
dertook to make his way was barely four
inches in width. A difficult pathway.
There was nothing to cling to except &C.
cio cl, ;~ko :,,ki
from the mass of rock.
Slowly and carefully no advances.
Kitty watches him intently, pale and
breathless with suspense.
a few steps more and he will reach it.
All! he has it, and holds it up tri-
umphantly to her view.
She waves her handkerchief. not daring
to speak for fear of startling him.
Now for the return. He starts back
along the precarious pathway. He sud-
denly stops and hesitates. Why so long;
is it to rest? No; he is testing portion of
the rock with his foot. Has he become
suspicious of his highway? Yes; and with
good reason. A large portion of the rock
is loose! lie bears ON it harder, when a
sudden roar, followed by terrible crash,
reverberates from cliff to cliff.
A deep silence follows What has hap
pened? HAS Mark Hilton passed forever
from human eyes? No; there he is on his
narrow pathway clinging closely to the
ledge. A huge piece of rock constituting
part of his perilous road has scaled off,
leaving the cliff nearly as smooth as glass
for six or eight feet in his front.
His return Is cat of.
The sun has become obsured by heavy,
dark clouds. A wind has arisen. The sea
40 longer murmurs softly, but sends forth